During this visit, you should work with one or more groups of students if you haven't already, and observe your teacher doing the same. For this journal entry, describe your teacher's teaching style. What type of relationships with students does he or she nurture in his or her classes? How do students perceive that power is distributed in the classes? Does this vary within or across the different classes the teacher has? Cite examples from your observations to support your inferences. Remember to reflect on what style of teaching you will gravitate toward and the how you want to be perceived by your students.
Observations:
This week, the class was taking a test for the first part of the class. As they walked into the classroom, Mrs. Brocato collected their class notebooks for an unannounced notebook check. Each quarter, she grades their notebook. They also have one official lab report per quarter and together with their lab grade, this makes up 25% of their average. While the students took their tests, she graded their notebooks and handed them back after all of the tests were handed in. After the tests, Mrs. Brocato had her students “purge” their folders and notebooks to get rid of anything they no longer needed. It is clear that the students see Mrs. Brocato in an authoritative way but at the same time, they are not afraid to ask questions and talk to her. There seems to be strict conduct expectations in her class that keeps the students on task and being productive. On a personal level, it is clear that Mrs. Brocato really cares about her students and expects the most out of them. They know exactly what they have to do in order to do well in her class and she will help them to do this. As far as teaching style, Mrs. Brocato seems to introduce topics to her students by asking them questions and developing ideas based on conclusions that they make as a class. For example, during one lesson, she lit a candle and described its characteristics and asked the class if a flame was a living thing and why not? She then makes clear important points that they students write in their notebook upon her instruction. All lessons also have a hands-on activity that either had the students doing an experiment or a group activity. Her teaching style seems to be extremely effective, with a balance of teaching time and student group work and activities to reinforce the concepts.
Mrs. Brocato is also very active in the community, which brings another aspect to her role as a teacher. The middle school science teachers are putting together a historical garden on the school grounds, which will be put together using only materials that would be used back in the 1800s. She is working with the students and their families to collect materials and there are specific work days set up for everyone to help with the project. By doing this, she develops a relationship with parents of her students and also gives her students something that they can be proud of building together.
Reflections:
After observing Mrs. Brocato for a few weeks, I have noticed a lot about her teaching styles and how she interacts with her students. One of the most prominent aspects of her teaching is the control that she has over her classroom and the mutual respect that she shares with her students. She has clear guidelines that must be followed in her class and if there are any disruptions, work not handed in, etc, she hands out detention slips. The students know what is expected of them and they realize the consequences that will follow. I would definitely use Mrs. Brocato’s teaching style as I go into teaching. She has a power over her classroom that is effective and causes her students to be productive and successful.
Observation/Reflection #3: A Matter of Style
During this visit, you should work with one or more groups of students if you haven't already, and observe your teacher doing the same. For this journal entry, describe your teacher's teaching style. What type of relationships with students does he or she nurture in his or her classes? How do students perceive that power is distributed in the classes? Does this vary within or across the different classes the teacher has? Cite examples from your observations to support your inferences. Remember to reflect on what style of teaching you will gravitate toward and the how you want to be perceived by your students.Observations:
This week, the class was taking a test for the first part of the class. As they walked into the classroom, Mrs. Brocato collected their class notebooks for an unannounced notebook check. Each quarter, she grades their notebook. They also have one official lab report per quarter and together with their lab grade, this makes up 25% of their average. While the students took their tests, she graded their notebooks and handed them back after all of the tests were handed in. After the tests, Mrs. Brocato had her students “purge” their folders and notebooks to get rid of anything they no longer needed. It is clear that the students see Mrs. Brocato in an authoritative way but at the same time, they are not afraid to ask questions and talk to her. There seems to be strict conduct expectations in her class that keeps the students on task and being productive. On a personal level, it is clear that Mrs. Brocato really cares about her students and expects the most out of them. They know exactly what they have to do in order to do well in her class and she will help them to do this. As far as teaching style, Mrs. Brocato seems to introduce topics to her students by asking them questions and developing ideas based on conclusions that they make as a class. For example, during one lesson, she lit a candle and described its characteristics and asked the class if a flame was a living thing and why not? She then makes clear important points that they students write in their notebook upon her instruction. All lessons also have a hands-on activity that either had the students doing an experiment or a group activity. Her teaching style seems to be extremely effective, with a balance of teaching time and student group work and activities to reinforce the concepts.
Mrs. Brocato is also very active in the community, which brings another aspect to her role as a teacher. The middle school science teachers are putting together a historical garden on the school grounds, which will be put together using only materials that would be used back in the 1800s. She is working with the students and their families to collect materials and there are specific work days set up for everyone to help with the project. By doing this, she develops a relationship with parents of her students and also gives her students something that they can be proud of building together.
Reflections:
After observing Mrs. Brocato for a few weeks, I have noticed a lot about her teaching styles and how she interacts with her students. One of the most prominent aspects of her teaching is the control that she has over her classroom and the mutual respect that she shares with her students. She has clear guidelines that must be followed in her class and if there are any disruptions, work not handed in, etc, she hands out detention slips. The students know what is expected of them and they realize the consequences that will follow. I would definitely use Mrs. Brocato’s teaching style as I go into teaching. She has a power over her classroom that is effective and causes her students to be productive and successful.